Self-sealing internally vented dispenser pump



Sept. Z3, 1958 J. U. STEWART ETAL 2,853,210

SELF-SEALING INTERNALLY VENTED DISPENSER PUMP Filed Nov. 13, 1956 2Sheets-Sheet 1 W @ELL g AIS INVENTORS, /f/// 21. M2M;

ATTORNEYS,

Sept 23 1958 J. u. STEWART ErAL 2,853,210

SELF-SEALING INTERNALLY VENTED DISPENSER PUMP Filed NOV. 13, 1956 2Sheets-Sheet 2 jg zg. 5'.

ATTORNEYSl United States Patent O SELF-SEALING INTERNALLY VENTEDDISPENSER PUMP James U. Stewart, Whittier, and Rex. C. Cooprider,Downey, Calif., assignors to The Drackett Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Application November 13, 1956, Serial No. 621,961

11 Claims. (Cl. 222-207) This invention relates to improvements in aself-sealing dispensing pump for liquid containers, such as isexempliied in our copending application Serial No. 569,459, led March 5,1956, entitled Dispenser for Liquids, now Patent No. 2,815,890, issuedDec. 10, 1957.

In such a pump, a generally cylindrical inner body is mounted in uidtight relation in a container opening and is provided with a deliverypassage therethrough adapted to communicate through a suction tube withthe liquid contents of the container. An outer body which rotatablyembraces the inner body includes a bulbous diaphragm cooperating withthe bodies to dene a variable volume pump chamber communicating with thesaid delivery passage, and with a discharge passage, both said passagesbeing controlled by check valves to prevent backilow of liquid.

The outer body is rotatable on the inner body between a dispensingposition in which segments of said discharge passage and segments of avent passage in the respective bodies are in registry, and a sealingposition in which said segments of both passages are out of registry toclose the discharge and vent passages.

It has been found that after such a pump has been used, if its saidbodies are thereafter returned to sealing position, as for travelling,etc., this will entrap a certain amount of liquid in the pump chamber.While this is desirable from the standpoint of leaving the pump primedfor future use, it involves the difliculty that flexing of the Vbulbousdiaphragm while the pump is sealed (whether through inadvertence orthrough rough handling, etc.) will cause the relatively incompressibleliquid in the pump chamber to tend to disconnect the diaphragm from itsassociated outer body. In addition, this may cause leakage of the liquidby forcing it at relatively high pressures between the severalcooperating parts dening the pump chamber.

The present invention has been conceived with the foregoing in mind, andaccordingly has for its primary object to provide the inner and outerbodies with segments of a return ow passage, independent of the deliverypassage, positioned to register with eachother in the sealed conditionof the pump in order to return liquid from the pump chamber into thecontainer. Thus inadvertent actuation of the diaphragm in the presentinvention will merely recycle the liquid from the container through thepump chamber and thence back to the container, without creating abnormalpressure within the pump chamber.

ln accordance with the invention, the vent passage segment in the innerbody may also be utilized, in the sealed condition of the pump, as oneof the segments of the return passage above mentioned, whereby saidsegment may serve dual functions.

lt is a further feature of the invention to form one of the segments ofthe return passage as a capillary tube or channel, whereby escape of thepriming charge from lthe pump chamber due to the action of gravity isprevented, andthe upward ow of tluid through said channel Patented Sept.23, 1958 ICC is so restricted as to result in a substantial upward ow ofuid into the pump chamber through the comparatively unrestricted suctiontube and delivery passage. Thus the cost of a check valve in saidpassage may be eliminated, while attaining the advantage thereof,although the presence of a check valve in the return passage is by nomeans precluded by the instant invention.

A further problem inherent in the structure of our earlier applicationconsisted in that the sealing of the pump necessarily involved a closingolf of the vent passages from the pump chamber. Therefore, uponapplication of the pump in sealed condition to a filled container, therewas formed an air lock preventing entry of liquid into the suction tube.

By Virtue of the novel structures aforementioned, the present inventioneliminates such an air lock and vents the pump chamber so that air maybe freely displaced therefrom to permit the liquid to rise to itsnatural level in said tube, whether the pump is applied in its sealed orunsealed condition. This materially shortens the subsequent travel ofthe liquid to thepump chamber.

A further important object of the present invention is to render thedispensing pump capable of self-priming incident to its partial orVcomplete inversion during shipping, and also due to actuation of thepump by rough handling. It will be apparent that such object is readilyattainable by the structure above mentioned, since the inversion of theilled container, at least in certain positions in which the returnpassage is higher than the delivery passage, will permit air to escapefrom the pump chamber to be replaced by liquid entering the chamberthrough the delivery passage, and actuation of the pump in sealedcondition will circulate the liquid into and through the pump chamber asabove mentioned.

It is a still further object to provide an indicator arm on the innerbody in which said body and arm are integrally cast of a somewhatresiliently exible material such as a polyethylene resin, with the freeend of the arm directed upwardly whereby the body and arm may be readilyinserted through the apertured Ibottle cap, and the arm thereafter swungdownwardly about its connection to the inner body by application of theouter body thereto. Thus the arm when assembled will overlie the capinradially outwardly projecting position for cooperation with a pointeror indicator on the outer body.

In this application there is shown and described only.

' the preferred embodiment of the invention, simply by way ofillustration of the preferred mode of carrying out the invention.However, it is realized that the invention is capable of otherembodiments and that its several details may be modied in various wayswithout departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings anddescription herein arenot to be construed as restrictive but merely asexemplary in nature.

In the accompanying drawings: n

Figure l represents an enlarged .central vertical section through apreferred exemplication of the invention as applied to the upper portionof a bottle, showing the parts of the pump structure in dispensingposition;

Figure 2, a sideelevationyof the structure shown in Figure l; i

Figure 3, a section on the line 3-3 of Figure l;

Figure 4, a section on the line 4-4 of Figure l; Figure 5, a viewsimilarr to Figure 4, but with the outer body rotated from thedispensing position of Figure 4 to its sealing position;

Figure 6, a vertical axial section through the outer body member;

Figure 7, a bottom plan view of the structure of Figure 6;

Figure 8, a section on the line 8--8 of Figure 5; Figure 9, aperspective view of the inner body showing the normal position of itsindicator hand in full lines, and the assembled position thereof inbroken lines;

Figure l0, a fragmentary perspective view of the outer body. j

Referring nowin detail to the accompanying drawings, itV will be seenthat the invention is applied to a dispensing pump such as disclosed inour copending application Serial No. 569,459, filed March 5, 1956. Sucha pump comprises a substantially cylindrical inner body l adapted formounting in sealed. relation within the outlet opening of a container.AsV illustrated, the inner body projects upwardly through a centrallyapertured bottle cap 12 of the type which is adapted to be screwed ontothe externally threaded neck of a usual bottle 13. A radial flange 14 ofthe inner body-projects radially beyond the edges of the aperture andengages the lower face of the cap. This ange 14V is proportioned to restupon the neck of the bottle and to b'e clamped thereagainst by the cap,as the latter is threaded onto the bottle neck. Thus the flange 14 andits associated cap 12 exemplifying one means for positioning the innerbody 10 in uid. tight relation in the container opening.

Extending axially through the inner body 10 is a delivery passage 16formed with an enlarged diameter upper portion to define an upwardlydirected shoulder or seat 18 for a usual ball check valve 20'whichprevents backflow of fluid toward the container. At its lower end, thepassage 16 communicates with a usual suction tube 22 which depends intothe liquid contents of the container.

Snugly journalled on the inner member 10 above cap 12 for angularmovement between a dispensing position and a sealing position, is anouter body 24 having a flexible wall portion such as exemplified by thebulbous diaphragm 26. The outer body 24 with its said flexible wallportion cooperates with the inner body 10 todefne a pump chamber 28 ofvariable volume communicating with the upper end of delivery passage 16.

Although the particular arrangement of the exible wall portion 26 andits mode of association with the outer body 24 constitutes no part ofthe instant invention, these parts may conveniently be formed andassembled as taught in our aforesaid copending application. Thus thedomelike flexible Wall or bulbous diaphragm 26 may have its lowerperipheral edge disposed in an upwardly opening annular slot 30 in thebody or member 24 and clamped between the opposed sides of the slot byradial expansion of the radially deectable ngers 32 collectivelydefining the annular innerwall of the slot. Such expansion of thefingers 32 is caused by the insertion upwardly therethrough of the innerbody 10, the latter being'formed to dene aretainer flange 34 at itsupper end beneath which the shouldered free end portions 36 of thefingers may slightly contract to secure the inner and outer bodies 10and 24 as well as the flexible wall 26 in assembled relation. It will benoted that the container cap 12, being sandwiched between the assembledinner and outer bodies 10 and 24 forms therewith a prefabricated closureand pump unit for easy application to a container.

For limiting the relative angular movement between their dispensing andsealing positions, and for accurately ascertaining these positions theremay be provided an upwardly projecting lug 38 on the inner body 10,received in an arcuate slot or cut-out 40 in the outer body, wherebyengagement of the opposite ends of the slot 40 with lug 38 willdetermine the respective dispensing and sealing-positions of the bodies.

It will be noted that the outer body 24 is provided with a cylindricalinner wall or journal portion 42 below the fingers 32 which is snuglyrotatably journalled on the inner body 1t) whereby these may functionas'the cooperating elements of a rotary valve. To this end the inner andouter bodies are provided with various passage segments or portswhich'arepositioned.forregistry 75 4 in the diterent operative positionsof the bodies 10 and 24.

Thus there are provided segments 44 and 46 of a discharge passageextending radially through the inner and outer bodies respectively, andregistering with each other in the dispensing condition of the pump asin Figure 1 to establish communication between the delivery passage 16and a suitable discharge nozzle 48,v which may be of either the jet orspray type.

In the present embodiment, the passage segment 44 of the inner body isdefined by a two diameter tubular valve insert 43, press iitted into aradial opening through the inner body 10, and having a ball check valve45 in its larger diameter portion adapted for cooperation with valveseat 47 to prevent the ingress of air into the pump chamber on theexpansion stroke of flexible wall 26. Ball valve 45 is retained intubular insert 43 by inwardly bending or deforming portions of thelarger diameter tube end to define radial inward projections 49. i

Such arrangement permits the insert 43 with its ball valve 45 to bepreassembled and inserted as a unit in the inner body 10, to simplifythe fabrication thereof.

Also, as in the said earlier application, the bodies 10 and 24 may beprovided with segments of a vent passage which register in thedispensing condition of the pump to provide a passage for air from theatmosphere to replace the liquid expelled from the container by thepump.

Such a vent passage segment in the outer body is provided by the notch50 which is adapted to register with a radial port 52 in the inner body.In the embodiment shown, the part 52 communicates with the containerinterior through an annular downwardly opening passagel the pump bodies(as in Figures 5 and 8) `both the dis-I charge passage segments 44, 46and the vent passage. segments 50, 52 and 54 of the respective bodies10v and` 24 will be disposed out of registry to prevent escape of liquidthrough the nozzle 48 or the passage of either liquid or air through thevent passage segment or opening 50.

In accordance with the invention, however, the innerv and outer bodies10 and 24 are respectively provided with. segments of a return passagewhich register with eachv other in the sealing position of the pump (asshown in Figures 5 and 8) to return liquid from the pump chamber 28 backinto the container C.

The annular passage 54 and its port 52 aforementioned may be employedalso as one segment of such a return passage, the other segment thereofcomprising an axial groove or channel 56 in the inner wall 42 of theouter body 24.

In the arrangement shown, the channel 56 communicates at its upper endwith one of the spaces between adjoining ngers 32, and the said space ineffect constitutes a continuation of the channel 56. It will beapparent, in the position of the parts shown in Figure 8,

that liquid pumped into the chamber 28 through flexingA of the wall 26,is prevented by the ball valve 20 from returning to the containerthrough the delivery passage 16. However, repeated flexing or depressingof the wall 26 in a manner to reduce the volume of the pump charnber 28,will cause the liquid therein to circulate between theA gripping fingers32 to channel 56, thence through theA port 52 and passage 54 back intothe container. This will relieve the tendency that would otherwise existfor liquid trapped in the pump chamber 28 to disconnect they flexiblewall or diaphragm 26 from the outer body 24 incident to actuation of thepump and otherwise to exert an abnormally high pressure tending'to causeleakagoo 5 liquid from the chamber 28 between the associated pumpcomponents. l

Where the pump is moved to sealing position (Figures and 8), prior toits application to a filled bottle, the interconnected return passagesegments 52, 54 and 56 will readily permit the escape of air from thepump chamber so that liquid can move up into the suction tube 22 as thepump is applied. This has the advantage of reducing the distancerequired for subsequent movement of the liquid into the pump chamber forpriming same.

Further, it will be seen that shipping of the filled containers eitheron their sides or in wholly or partially inverted position, may resultin liquid entering and priming the pump chamber, and this action will befurthered by such flexing of the bulbous diaphragm as occurs incident toits shipping and handling.

Accordingly, it will be apparent that the invention provides asubstantially self-priming dispensing pump, having a built-in recyclingfeature for preventing the creation of abnormal or harmful fluidpressures within the pump chamber.

In order to retain a priming charge of liquid within the pump chamber,one of the segments 56 of the return passage may advantageously berestricted, preferably to the point where it constitutes a capillarypassage capable of preventing the return ow of liquid therethroughexcept as caused by pressure on the diaphragm 26. This passage 56performs a function equivalent to that of a conventional check valve,while eliminating the expense thereof, though such a check valve is byno means precluded by the invention. In this connection, it will be seenthat the passage 56 is so restricted relative to the suction tube 22that on expansion of the pump charnber 28, only a negligible amount ofair is drawn thereinto through passage 56, while an appreciably greateramount of liquid is drawn into the chamber through suction tube 22.

For permitting ready visual ascertainment of the relative rotationalpositions of the bodies and 24, the inner body may be provided with aradial index arm 58 which projects outwardly over the cap 12 forcooperation in obvious manner with the pointer 60 fixed on the outerbody.

In accordance with a further novel aspect of this invention, theassembly of the inner body 10 with its radial arm 5S within theapertured cap is greatly facilitated by ethylene resin. As initiallyformed the arm 58 projects lt?, the latter as well as the outer body 24being formed of a suitable somewhat flexible plastic, such as apolyethylene resin. As initally formed the arm 58 projects upwardly andslightly outwardly from its point of connection to the inner body 10, asin Figure 9 with its free end positioned for free passage through theapertured cap with the remainder of the body 10, and in position to beengaged and swung downwardly and outwardly over the cap 12 `by the loweredge of the outer body 24 incident to its axial positioning on the innerbody 10.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A dispensing pump for a liquid container having an outlet openingcomprising a generally cylindrical inner body, means positioning saidbody in the container opening, `said body having an axial lluid deliverypassage therethrough in communication with the container interior, ahollow outer body snugly journalled on said inner body for angularmovement between a dispensing position and a sealing position, aflexible diaphragm closing the upper end of said outer body andcooperating with said bodies to define a variable volume pump chambercommunicating with said delivery passage, said inner and outer bodiesbeing formed with segments of a discharge passage relatively positionedfor registry in the dispensing position of said outer body to establishcornmunication between said pump chamber and the atmosphere, valve meansbeing associated with said delivery passage and said discharge passageto prevent backflow ofiuid therethrough, said inner body being formedwith a return passage communicating with the interior of said containerindependently of said delivery passage, said outer body being formedwith an air vent positioned to communicate with said return passage inthe dispensing position of the outer body to permit an inflow of airinto said container from the atmosphere to replace the fluid dischargedtherefrom, said outer body being further formed with a recycling passagecommunicating with said pump chamber and positioned to communicate withsaid return passage in the sealing position of the outer body, wherebyactuation of the said pump in said sealing position will draw uid intothe pump chamber from the container and return it to the containerthrough said recycling and return passages.

2. The combination of claim 1 including an apertured cap for closing theoutlet opening of said container, said inner body being insertibleupwardly through the aperture of said cap, said inner body being formedof a resiliently flexible material and including a normally axiallyupwardly directed indicator hand integral therewith, for insertionupwardly through said aperture with the inner body, stop means on saidinner body for limiting the upward movement thereof in Isaid cap, saidouter body being assembled axially onto the upper end of said inner bodyand into outwardly deecting engagement with said indicator forpositioning and maintaining the latter with its free end in a radiallyoutwardly directed position overlying said cap, in combination with aradial pointer carried by said outer body for cooperation with saidindicator.

3. A dispensing pump for a liquid container having an outlet openingcomprising a generally cylindrical inner body positioned in fluid tightrelation in said opening and projecting externally thereof, said bodybeing formed with a uid delivery passage therethrough in communicationwith said container, a hollow outer body including a flexible wallportion snugly journalled on said inner body for angular movementbetween a dispensing position and a sealing position, said outer bodycooperating with the inner body to define a variable volume pump chambercommunicating with said delivery passage, said inner and outer bodiesbeing formed with segments of a discharge passage relatively positionedfor registry in the dispensing position of said outer body, to establishcommunication between said pump chamber and the atmosphere, valve meansassociated with said delivery passage and said discharge passage toprevent the bacldlow of uid through said passages, said inner body andsaid outer body respectively being formed with segments of a returnpassage positioned to register with each other in the sealing positionof said outer body for permitting a return flow of fluid from the pumpchamber to the said container.

4. The combination of claim 3 in which one of said return passagesegments constitutes a capillary channel permitting the escape of fluidfrom the pump chamber t0 the container under conditions of unbalancedpressure as between the pump chamber and the container, but operative tomaintain a priming charge of fluid in said chamber when said pressuresare substantially balanced.

5. The combination of claim 3 wherein said outer body is formed with' avent passage positioned for communication with said return passagesegment of the inner body in the dispensing position of the outer body.

6. A dispensing pump comprising a generally cylindrical inner bodyhaving inner and outer axially opposed ends, said body being adapted forliquid tight disposition in the outlet opening of a liquid container,and formed with an axial delivery passage therethrough, a hollow outerbody including a exible wall portion snugly journalled on the outer endof said inner body for angular movement between a dispensing positionand a sealing position, said outer body cooperating with the inner bodyto dene a variable volume pump chamber communicating with said deliverypassage, said outer body being formed with a discharge passagecommunicating with said pump chamber in the dispensing position of saidouter body, means associated with the respective passages aforesaid forpreventing backow of uidtherethrough, means on said inner body forlclosing said discharge passage.. in the sealing position of the outerbody, and said inner andtouter bodies being formed respectively withsegments of a return flow passage, said segments communicating with eachother in the sealing position of the outer body and extending from saidpump chamber through the said lower end of the inner body.

7. The combination of claim`6 including a suction tube dependingfromsaid inner body in communication with said delivery passage.

8. The combination of claim 7 in which said return passage segment inthe inner body extends concentrically to said delivery passage and saidsuction tube.

9. A dispensing pump comprising a generally cylindrical inner bodyhaving inner and outer axially opposed ends, said inner end beingadapted for reception in the outlet opening of a liquid container, saidbody having a delivery passage opening through said inner end, a hollowouter body including a flexible wall portion rotatable on said innerbody and therewith defining a pump chamber in permanent communicationwith said delivery passage, said bodies being formed respectively withsegments of a discharge passage, one of said segments communicating withsaid pump chamber, saidv segments being positioned for communicationwith each other in one rotational position of the outer body and out ofcommunication with each other in another rotational position of theouter body means associated with said passages for preventing the backowof uid therethrough, said inner and outer bodies being formed withsegments of a return flow passage positioned for communication with eachother and with the pump chamber in said other rotational position of theouter body and extending from said pump chamber through said inner endof the inner body, said segs 8 ments of the return ow passage being outof communication with each other in the said one position.

10. A pump comprising an inner body defining a delivery passage openy atboth ends thereof, an outer body rotatable onV and enclosing one end ofsaid inner body to define a pump chamber permanently communicating withsaid passage, said outer body including means for varying the volume ofsaid chamber, said bodies being formed respectively with segments of adischarge passage positioned for communication with each other and withthe pump chamber in one rotational position of the outer body and out ofcommunication with each other in another rotational position of theouter body, said bodies being further formed respectively with segmentsof a return passage positioned for communication with each other andwith the pump chamber in said other rotational position of the outerbody and out of communication with each other in said one rotationalposition, one of said segments opening through the other end of saidinner body remote from the pump chamber, and means for preventingbackfiow of fluid through said delivery passage and said dischargepassage.

11. In combination, a circularly apertured container cap, an inner pumpbody of flexible material including a cylindrical portion projectingupwardly through said aperture, a normally upwardly projecting pointerintegral with said body and insertable with the cylindrical portionthereof through said aperture, and an outer body rotatable on saidcylindrical portion and thrusting axially against said pointer todellect same radially outwardly over said cap, indicia means beingcarried by said outer body for cooperation with the pointer.

Perritt Nov. 2, 1937 Hutton June 14, 1955

